The Chicago Bears are set to have Theo Benedet start at left tackle when they face the Washington Commanders on October 13.
The Chicago Bears will return to the practice field this week with a new starting left tackle. The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs reported last week that undrafted rookie free agent Theo Benedit is expected to be named the starter over Braxton Jones.
The move has not officially been announced. Head coach Ben Johnson could have changed his mind while the players were away from Halas Hall because of the bye week.
Hard to appreciate his path to being starter because of two others failing
The fact that Benedit has to replace Jones at left tackle because of performance issues makes it hard to truly appreciate the path Theo had to take to get to the NFL. It looks even worse when the undrafted free agent from Canada got the start last week at right tackle because a second-round pick could not beat him out.
It was Benedet, and not Ozzy Trapilo, who was tabbed to fill in for the injured Darnell Wright against Las Vegas.
Instead of being impressed with Benedet working his tail off to get a spot start in the NFL, it spoke to just how bad the team has done evaluating offensive linemen in the draft. It just didn’t look very good because Trapilo still could not earn his way onto the field over a 24-year-old from Canada.
Making it worse, the No. 56 pick in the draft was inactive during the first three games of the season. He was watching a guy get the snaps as the extra blocker when it was expected that Trapilo should have easily beaten out Benedet for that work.
Instead, Trapilo failed in training camp to prove he was capable of left tackle (or right tackle) that was up to NFL standards. Although, to be fair to Trapilo, the Bears brass foolishly thought he could play left tackle when the rest of the NFL thought he was strictly a right tackle. That is a position the Bears are set at with Wright. That meant the team drafted a right tackle with a premium draft pick just two years after drafting their long-term guy.
Story continues below.
More Sports News
How to Watch Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild: Live Stream, TV Channel, Start Time, Preview
2 days ago
3 days ago
Chicago Cubs Advance to NLDS, Defeat Padres 3-1
3 days ago
Tasting Flight: P-Will Ankle Update, Giddey Signs, and Camp Notes
3 days ago
Fantasy Football Buys and Sells Heading into Week 5
3 days ago
Chicago Bulls 2025-26 Media Day: There’s Enough in the Room
3 days ago
Chicago Blackhawks Black Jersey Set to Return? Fact Or Fiction
4 days ago
Justin Reynolds Meets the Moment & Sends the Chicago Fire to the Postseason
4 days ago
Blackhawks Fall 3-1 to Red Wings: Del Mastro Struggles, Blashill’s Neutral Zone Tactic Debuts
4 days ago
Cubs Fall to Padres, Series Tied 1-1
4 days ago
.wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla),
.wp-block-group:where(.alignfull) > .wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla) {
width: calc(100vw – (var(–side-spacing) * 2)) !important;
}
.embla {
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
}
.embla__container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: nowrap;
gap: 0 !important;
width: 75%;
}
.embla__slide {
margin-inline-end: var(–column-gap);
}
.embla__arrow,
.embla__arrow:active,
.embla__arrow:target,
.embla__arrow:hover,
.embla__arrow:focus-visible {
display: none;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
transform: translateY(-50%);
width: 40px;
height: 40px;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
line-height: 0;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);
color: var(–color-primary);
border-radius: 100vw;
svg {
width: 24px;
}
}
.embla__prev {
left: 0;
}
.embla__next {
right: 0;
}
]]>
That’s a waste of draft resources if you ask me.
Maybe Trapilo can move inside to guard and still be something in the NFL. Maybe he will still be a starting right tackle with how much Jones’ play has astonishingly declined this season.
Jones was benched last Sunday instead of Benedet, who was overmatched by star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, during the first half.
Trapilo came in at right tackle with Benedet moving over to left. Both rookies played much better, and the offense was able to produce a game-winning drive to leave Vegas with a sloppy victory.
Jones has gone from a replacement-level starting left tackle to being benched. He is getting benched for a guy who played his college ball in British Columbia, Canada.
Benedet’s ascension to starter does not fit the ideal narrative
Benedet should not be considered some guy. He worked too hard to go from obscurity in Canada to starting an NFL game. That should be celebrated as a talent discovery.
I think if he had just gotten the start last Sunday, because he was the only choice, then it might have been more noteworthy.
Instead, Theo starting speaks to how Jones could not develop his game to handle a simple bull rush. It also shows just how bad general manager Ryan Poles has been at drafting offensive linemen. His second-round pick this year and third-round pick last year, Kiran Amegadjie, cannot play well enough (or stay healthy in Kiran’s case) to keep Benedet off the field.
When that is the narrative for why Benedet is playing, it is hard to acknowledge him earning it because of the potential waste of premium draft picks.